Frustration
by TROLLintheDUNGEONN
Summary: Kyo is frustrated that he just can't seem to just come out and tell Tohru what he's feeling, so he decides that maybe the time for words has passed. Rated teen just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

"Kyo?"

Tohru stood at the edge of the roof, nervously pulling at her sleeve. She had been sure that she'd seen the fiery redhead come up here after storming out of the house. He usually did...

She didn't get an answer, but spotted him in his usual sitting spot, so she crossed the roof carefully and sat down next to him. He didn't look at her, but instead started at the sunset, an orange glow covering his face.

"What do you want?"

"I...I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Tohru said softly.

"Yeah? Well I don't need you looking after me. I'm fine," Kyo snapped, before thinking.

"Oh..."

It was silent after that. Tohru's heart felt a little broken, though she would never admit that to anyone. She didn't want to make Kyo feel any worse than he probably did now. She could tell that he thought that he and Yuki were starting to become friendlier, and that today's outbreak had surprised him. So she sat there quietly. Finally, she figured Kyo didn't want her there anymore and stood to leave.

"Wait," Kyo said, his voice still a little harsh. Tohru looked back over her shoulder at him. He cleared his throat and spoke again, trying a gentler tone. "I didn't mean it like that...it's just, I don't know, it's sometimes...hard for me to open up to people...you know?"

Tohru was surprised. Kyo often tried to be nicer to her, but this was different than usual. She gave him her famous Tohru smile and sat back down.

"I understand, Kyo. It's okay."

She hadn't said much at all, really, but Kyo felt like a load had just been removed from his heart. He really had grown quite fond of Tohru, and he was glad that she was so patient with him. He'd never been close to anyone...except for Sensei.

"Thanks," he said. It was quiet for awhile longer, but it was a different silence than the one before. Once the sun had gone down, Kyo stood and held out a hand to Tohru to help her up. She took it happily, and held onto it while they walked to the ladder.

But Tohru, being Tohru, tripped.

There really wasn't anything to trip over, except for herself, and before she knew it, she was tumbling off of the roof, her hand being torn out of Kyo's, and plummeting towards the ground. She couldn't help but scream, but that was probably what saved her.

She didn't land quite as hard as she'd expected, but she realized that it was because she fallen into Yuki. They looked at each other for a moment before, with a poof of smoke, Tohru found herself sitting on top of his clothes next to the rat version of Yuki.

"Miss Honda! Are you okay?"

"Oh, um, yes. I'm fine, Yuki, it's okay!" Tohru said, smiling and waving away the problem nervously. Even in his rat form, he didn't look convinced.

"Well, Tohru, the important thing is that you're okay! How about we all go inside and finish dinner?" Shigure said quickly, trying to break the tension as Kyo jumped down from the roof.

"You stupid cat! You can't even keep Tohru from almost dying for five minutes?" Yuki hissed.

"Shut up, it's not my fault she's such a klutz," Kyo said, his voice, once again, harsh. Tohru turned red, but neither Yuki or Kyo noticed. Shigure seemed to, though.

"Oh, Tohru, let's go back inside and leave these two to bicker, shall we?" He asked kindly, reaching out a hand to help her up. She gladly took it and they went inside.

They ate in silence, the only noise being that of the muted argument taking place outside. It sounded as though Yuki was a human again, as his voice was louder, and he seemed more prepared to fight. Tohru finally sighed.

"I feel like it's my fault they're fighting all the time," she said softly.

"Tohru, it's not your fault. They feel that they're sworn enemies, being the rat and the cat, you know that." 

"I know, but ever since I started living here, almost all of their arguments seem to be about me."

"Tohru, before you started living here, they didn't just argue every day. They fought. And not only has that stopped, but the bickering has lightened up quite a bit."

Tohru wasn't quite sure what to say to that, so the rest of dinner was in silence again. By the time Yuki and Kyo came inside, the girl had already gone to bed.

"Where's Miss Honda?" Yuki asked, sitting down and beginning to eat his (now) cold dinner.

"She went to bed. You two have been arguing for over an hour," Shigure said, not looking up from the book he was reading. "You know, she's starting to think that she's the reason you fight all of the time."

"Why would she think such a stupid thing like that?" Kyo asked, shoving his leeks to the side and starting on the noodles.

"Because you never stop to think about what you're saying around her," Shigure answered. He looked at the clock on the wall. "It really is late. I should be getting to bed." He stood up and left, leaving Yuki and Kyo alone.

"He's right, you know," Yuki said after a moment.

"What?"

"You say a lot of careless things around Miss Honda. You don't seem to realize this, but she does have feelings."

"Shut up. What do you know? Stupid rat."

Yuki decided that Kyo was probably just a lost cause not worthy of his time and soon followed Shigure's example and went to bed. Kyo had finished eating, but sat at the table, staring at his cold leeks for awhile longer. Finally, with resolve, he stood and put his dishes in the sink before going upstairs, down the hall, and to Tohru's room. He knocked on the door twice.

It was a moment or two before a tired and slightly bed-headed Tohru answered the door. She looked surprised to see Kyo standing there.

"Oh, hi, Kyo," she said, not seeming like she knew what else to say. She opened the door wider for him and he stepped inside, closing behind himself. "Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

Kyo tried to pull himself together so that he could tell her how he felt, but it really just didn't come naturally for him. After a couple minutes, he began to struggle through the words. "It's just...Tohru...why do you have to go around feeling like everything's your fault all of the time?" The question came out harsher than he'd expected, but he didn't apologize. Instead, he continued. "Yuki and I don't argue because of you, we argue because we hate each other, and..." He stopped when he looked at her and saw the look on her face. She seriously looked like she was about to cry. His heart dropped.

"Now what's wrong?"

"It's nothing...I just...I just don't like when you two fight...I really do think you could be friends..."

"Tohru..." It was times like these that Kyo hated being cursed. It was the only thing keeping him from pulling the small girl into a hug right now, but instead he settled for wiping away the tear that had escaped her eye.

"I'm sorry about everything...just stop crying. I hate seeing you upset..." She looked up at him. He looked back down at her. Time stopped. He bent lower...she reached up...and their lips met.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Tohru woke up, not really sure what had happened the night before. She thought back as hard as she could. She remembered waking up to a knock on the door...it was Kyo. He was trying to apologize and then they...then they...

Then they kissed.

She couldn't believe it, but she remembered it clearly now.

It was an odd kiss. It was not accompanied by any other touching, a Kyo was still cursed, and as soon as they pulled apart, he seemed surprised, himself and ran out of the room, leaving Tohru with a spinning head.

The girl was still pondering the night's happenings as she dressed and went downstairs to make breakfast, her daily routine, and she ran into Yuki on her way.

"Oh, Miss Honda. Did you sleep well?"

"Uh, um, yes I did! Slept like a baby! Why wouldn't I have? Nice talking to you Yuki, I'll see you at breakfast!" She sputtered out, then ran down the stairs. Oh, she was so stupid. Now he was bound to know something was up...

* * *

><p><p>

Yuki watched as Haruhi ran away and sighed. She had an odd way about her. As he continued down the hall, he met Kyo walking out of his bedroom. "Do you know what's wrong with Miss Honda? She's acting so strange, today."

"No! Of course I don't know what's wrong with her! Isn't there always? Stupid rat, it's not like I can read her mind!" Kyo bursted, before he, too ran down the stairs. Yuki stared. Why was everyone acting so strange today?

* * *

><p><p>

Stupid rat. Thinks he knows everything. Why did Tohru have to be so easy to read? Ugh. He shouldn't have kissed her. Now everything was just going to get more complicated. She wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut, and everyone was going to find out. He just knew it.

When he walked into the kitchen, who else would he find but Tohru, bustling around and cooking. Well, duh. That _was_ her job.

She turned and saw him before he could say anything. There was a brief silence in which neither of them quite knew what to do, but then she gave him a wide smile.

"Good morning, Kyo!"

He stared at her. Really?

"Look, Tohru, about last night..."

"Oh, don't worry about it! I know it was a mistake, I won't bring it up or tell anyone. Really, it's all okay!" She turned back to the stove and started stirring. Kyo couldn't believe what she'd just said.

"A mistake? Tohru! Why do you have to be so stupid? It wasn't a mistake at all! I'd been thinking about doing that ever since I met you, you know. And you know why? Because I _love_ you, okay? There. I said it."

Tohru froze. Did he just say...

"Tohru?"

She turned around to look at Kyo. The both of them looked stunned at what he'd just said. But then Tohru's eyes went over his shoulder...

He whipped around and saw Yuki and Shigure standing in the doorway, shocked. They didn't say a word. Kyo's stomach dropped. They'd probably heard everything.

Damnit!

He turned and ran past them, through the paper door and out into the woods. Tohru lost sight of him after only three seconds. She started to cry, overwhelmed with everything that had just happened. Yuki crossed the room and took her hand, wiping away the tears. Shigure just stared sadly at the pile of paper and woods that was once his door, and was once again broken.

(Okay, more chapters to come if I get struck with inspiration. Hope you like! Fell free to review with any suggestions.)


	3. Chapter 3

Running…running…running…

Kyo tried to keep everything else out of his mind. He just focused on putting one foot in front of the other, racing along, inhaling, exhaling, and not running into trees instead of what had happened….the fall…the kiss…everyone hearing him expressing his love for her…

Damnit! NO!

Just focus, Kyo. Focus on running.

"Kyo? Kyooooo!"

That sounded like…Tohru's voice. Was she running after him? He hated how dedicated she was to him. This was not the first occasion she'd run after him through these woods. He so wanted to turn around and find her, take her back the house. After all, it was winter…cold…at least it wasn't raini-

…

Raindrops were now falling from the sky, quickening and thickening as he stared. His footsteps slowed. He began to consider turning back for Tohru…

_"A mistake? Tohru! Why do you have to be so stupid? It wasn't a mistake at all! I'd been thinking about doing that ever since I met you, you know. And you know why? Because I __love__ you, okay? There. I said it."_

ARGH! He'd made such an ass out of himself. In front of that stupid rat…

"Kyo! Kyo, please come back!"

She was getting closer. He didn't have much time. Within moments, he'd taken off into the forest, sprinting as hard as he could.

Tohru watched as Kyo took off out of the kitchen, shocked. She was having a hard time registering everything that had just happened. He'd said…he loved her. He'd told her that, and then immediately took off…because…Shigure and Yuki had heard.

She turned and looked up as Yuki put a hand on her shoulder. He looked infuriated. "It's okay, Tohru. Don't worry about that stupid cat. We should get to school." He began to lead her away, but she didn't follow. She looked back towards the hole in the wall that had had a door on it only moments ago.

"But…Kyo looked really upset…and he said-"

"Tohru, he's not your responsibility."

"But I can't just leave him!" She said determinedly, and then she turned and ran towards the door, leaping over the debris, crossing the yard and entering the woods.

Running…running…running…

She was trying to focus on her progress through the trees, not the look on Kyo's face when he'd showed up at her room, not…the kiss…not the way her heart had leapt when he'd said he loved her…

"Kyo? Kyo!" She called out, desperate to find him. He was much faster than her, and she'd given him too much time while she tried to decide what to do…she might never catch him unless he stopped.

A drop of water landed on her nose, then two more on her shoulder. Then it began to pour. _Oh no, poor Kyo!_ Tohru thought. She sped up, her legs aching and protesting, but finding Kyo was more important than resting.

"Kyo! Kyo, please come back!" She cried. She saw a flash of red...was that…?

"KYO!"

Tohru began crying, which began to slow her down. "Kyo….Kyo, please," she begged between sobs. Her legs stopped moving, and she fell down, smearing her school uniform with mud. She couldn't stand, as hard as she tried.

"Tohru?" She looked up. Kyo was standing over her.

"Kyo…"

"What are you doing on the ground?"

"I…I fell…" She began trying to push herself up.

"No, Tohru, come here…" Kyo bent down and picked her up, careful to keep his arms in a position so that they weren't exactly around her.

"Kyo…" Tohru smiled just as her eyes fluttered closed. Kyo began walking carefully towards the house, making sure not to jostle Tohru too much or let his arms slip. When they finally got back, he laid her on top of the covers of her bed and took her uniform off, leaving her in a cami and undershorts, tucked her in, and left the room.

"So, rather than Tohru finding you, you found Tohru?" Shigure asked. Yuki was sitting beside him at the kotatsu. He obviously hadn't wanted to leave with Tohru running around in the woods, but wasn't pleased that she and Kyo were starting to build a relationship.

"Yeah, I guess so…" Kyo stood, arms crossed, watching the rain outside the window. He wasn't really sure what would happen when Tohru woke up and came to talk to him, but for now, he didn't really care. Enough had happened in the past day to last for a long, long time, and so he wasn't exactly eager to jump into the next phase of action.

Still, it was Tohru…and, after all, he loved her.

(Mkay, more chapters to come. I have a few ideas, but, as always, I am super open to suggestions! Please review if you like!)


	4. Chapter 4

(Thanks so much for the reviews! They really made my day )

(Regular text / "One person talking" / "_Two people talking together"/ One person thinking_)

Tohru woke up to find light shining down on her face. She was momentarily confused. How had she gotten home? But then she figured…Kyo must have come and found her. And…undressed her…She turned red realizing she was in her underwear.

She sat up in bed and went to take a shower. Afterwards, she began dressing in her street clothes. It was Saturday. No school.

"School! I missed school yesterday! Oh no, what am I going to do, Mom is going to be so disappointed! Oh no, oh no!"

There was a knock on the door. "Tohru," called Shigure's sing-songey voice. "Is everything alright in there?"

"Oh, yes! I'm just getting dressed; I'll come make breakfast in a minute!"

"Oh, there's no need, Tohru. Kyo thought you needed your sleep so he already started making it."

Tohru opened the door and looked up at Shigure. "Kyo…is making breakfast?"

It was true that Kyo was probably the best cook in the house aside from Tohru, since Shigure was too lazy to make anything and Yuki burned everything. But…he never cooked. Except for that one time that he made Tohru leeks soup that one time she was sick.

Oh…there was a pattern.

"I'll go help him!" She said brightly, skipping past Shigure and hurrying down the stairs. Sure enough, Kyo was standing in front of the stove, stirring a pot of something that looked like oatmeal when she entered the kitchen.

"Good morning!" Tohru said, flashing him a bright smile. He looked up and returned it.

"Look who's finally up. I was about to go check on you. You had a nasty fall yesterday…"

"Oh, I hope I wasn't any trouble to you, really! I was just off looking for you, and I don't know what happened I guess I just sort of-"

Kyo crossed the room, tilted her head up and kissed her hard for what must have been a minute straight. When they parted, he left his hand on her chin and looked at her. She looked surprised, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Stop talking," he said softly. "You're never any trouble to me." He gave her a shorter, lighter kiss and went back to continue his stirring. Tohru stared at him for a moment.

"Oh, let me help you with that!" She said, shaking herself out of her daze and hurrying to the refrigerator. She began pulling things out, but then two arms lifted her away from the fridge, took the things away from her, and closed the door.

"No, go rest. You deserve a day off," Kyo said, setting the food on the counter and taking her by the hand. He led her to the dining room and sat her at the kotatsu. "Stay."

Tohru sat listening to the sounds he was making in the kitchen, fighting the urge to get up and run to go help him. It wasn't long before he came and laid a bowl of peach flavored oatmeal, a glass of orange juice, and a plate of toast and fruit in front of her. He kissed her on the forehead and handed her a spoon. "Eat up."

As she ate, she wondered about him. It was so odd, having him doting on her when he usually didn't even know what to say around her. Something must have changed last night…something big…

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Shigure and Yuki to the dining room. "Good morning, Tohru!" Shigure exclaimed, sitting and digging into his food.

"Good morning, Miss Honda," Yuki said, and, to Tohru's surprise, he leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Stupid rat, what do you think you're doing?" Kyo yelled from the kitchen doorway. Such bad timing…

"What do you mean?" Yuki said, closing his eyes in a posh manner and eating his food. Kyo, meanwhile, was absolutely steaming.

"Why did you kiss Tohru?"

"It was on the cheek, and it's none of your business. It's not like she belongs to you," Yuki replied coolly, opening one eye to watch his reaction.

"Oh no Kyo, it's okay, really!" Tohru said, putting her hands up in front of herself and stammering nervously. "It was just on the cheek, after all, and-"

"This has nothing to do with you!" Both boys said to her before turning back to each other. She shrank back into her seat and tried to look as small as she could.

"No, that's just about enough!" Shigure said in a forceful voice. He put down the questionable book he was reading and stood up. "I don't mind if the two of you are rude to each other, but not to poor little Tohru. I demand that the two of you kiss and make up at once."

Yuki and Kyo looked at each other disgustedly.

"AT ONCE!"

"Okay, fine..."

"No need to be rude…."

The two of them stepped closer to each other, but the looks on their faces showed that they wanted to be anywhere else than where they were at that moment.

"I'm waiting," Shigure said, arms crossed and foot tapping.

They inches closer, then leaned forward, eyes clamped shut…

_*pucker*_

"_UGH!"_ The two boys sprang away from each other the second their lips touched, wiping vigorously with their forearms.

"Girly boy probably liked that," Kyo said bitterly.

"Stupid cat, doesn't know anything…" Yuki said. They started to leave, Kyo outside, Yuki upstairs, when Shigure spoke again.

"Oh, no you don't. You're not done. You still have to kiss Miss Honda."

"_WHAT?"_ They said together.

"No way I'm letting that rat touch her."

"Me? What about you, you Neanderthal?"

"Neanderthal? That's it!"

"No, no, now, don't leave Tohru feeling unloved!"

"_You'd better not kiss her!" _

"Umm…well, I have to get the shopping done! I'll go do that now!" Tohru said nervously, standing up.

"_I'll go with you! No you won't! ARGH!"_

Fists were flying and Shigure was trying to protect the door when Tohru left the chaos behind and started walking to the main street.

_Wow, Mom, I don't even know what to think. I guess both Yuki and Kyo like me…but I don't know which one I like! I guess that's just something I have to get figured out, though, huh?_


	5. Chapter 5

The next few days were painfully awkward for poor Tohru. She couldn't leave the house without Yuki and Kyo fighting over who would walk her here or carry her bags back from there. Shigure wasn't exactly around to er…"break the tension" like he had on the day they first fought over her, because his editor was chasing him around the house trying to get him to finish the manuscript for his latest book (and failing miserably).

School wasn't much better. The only upside was that Arisa and Saki were around to deflect some of the boys' attentions. There was another unexpected downside, however…

"You guys are both being ridiculous. We all know that Tohru is in love with me," Haru said, grabbing the girl by the arm and pinning her to the wall. His face was right against hers, their noses all but touching. "Come on, sweetheart. How about we ditch these tools and go off somewhere else more…private?"

Tohru wasn't exactly sure what had caused Haru to go black. Momiji had run to find her, saying something about Yuki and Kyo fighting, and by the time they got back, Haru had already snapped. She was just wishing he would calm down…and possibly stop sexually harassing her.

"Get OFF of her!" Kyo yelled, shoving Haru away from Tohru. They were instantly throwing punches and kicks as hard as they could until a teacher came out of the nearest classroom and told them to scatter. Kyo took Tohru's hand and led her quickly to class.

"Kyo, what happened to Haru?" Tohru asked, trying to keep up with the redhead.

"He came and tried to break up the fight, and I guess everything just got out of hand, one thing led to another…eventually he just snapped. The thing I need to know, Tohru…" He stopped, pressing her back into the wall. He put one hand by her head and she found it was the same position Haru had her in only a few minutes beforehand.

"I told you how I feel, Tohru. I told you that I love you. I need to know…do you love me? Or do you love Yuki, or Haru?"

Tohru was speechless. Kyo really was serious. He loved her.

He _loved_ her.

And did she love him…?

"Kyo…it's just so much to think about…" Kyo's face instantly darkened.

"I see."

He turned and started walking towards the front of the school to leave.

"No, please Kyo! Don't go!" Tohru started to run after him. He stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around to face her.

"It's really simple, Tohru. Do you love me or not?"

"Of course I love you, Kyo."

He turned around.

"I don't want you to tell me that you love me in the same way you love Shigure or Momiji. I want you to look me in the eye and tell me that you want to be with me and nobody else. That I'm special to you."

"You are, Kyo, and I do, I really do!" Tohru said, tears in her eyes. "But I can't be with you. It wouldn't be fair to Yuki or Haru…I'm so sorry."

Kyo looked at her for a moment, not saying anything. The tears in her eyes began to spill over. He wanted to hold her so badly…he forgot all about the curse and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her small body…

*poof*

"Mann!"

"Oh, Kyo, I'm so sorry!" Tohru said, wiping the tears from her eyes and starting to gather his clothes up."

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault…" Kyo said, sitting down and resisting the urge to lick himself. "Can we go home?"

"Sure, sure..." Tohru said, picking him up and holding him carefully. She walked to the front of the school quickly, trying not to let people see she was carrying a cat. She managed to make it home in a matter of minutes. Shigure was nowhere to be found, which was all for the best.

Tohru placed Kyo on the floor and sat down with her back on the wall. The both of them looked at each other, both at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry…" Tohru said after a while.

"Sorry for what?"

"For how things turned out. I want to be with you, Kyo. I love you. But I love Haru and Yuki in a different way and I don't want to hurt them."

"No, Tohru I should have figured…you're too nice. I am…I am glad that you love me over them, though. It makes everything that much better."

Tohru smiled.

"I'm glad, Kyo. I like for you to be happy."

Kyo stood and crossed the room and sat next to Tohru. She reached out a hand to put on his head when-

*poof*

Kyo was beside her again. Naked. And that was….not his head.

"EEK!" Tohru jumped up and turned away from him while he snatched up his clothes. When he was dressed, he and Tohru stood far away from each other, bright red. Then the door opened.

"Oh, you two are home early," Shigure said quietly. He noticed the horrified looks on their faces. "What just happened in here?"

Tohru turned and ran up the stairs, and Kyo ran past Shigure out the door and up to the roof. Shigure sighed.

"Oh, hello Shigure, how are you? Oh, fine, and you? Just great, it's nice to see you, Shigure. Is that too much to ask?" He muttered to himself, sitting down at the kotatsu and opening his paper.

"Ah, well….I wonder what they were doing here alone? I probably should be worried, but they're good kids…they wouldn't do anything inappropriate."


End file.
